Abstract Summary
The energy supply sector is the largest contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions. Within that figure, households account for 29% of the consumption. On top of that, the average building wastes 30% of the energy because of inefficiencies. We consider that the main challenge is to increase our energy efficiency, make energy sources renewable, and obtain a higher degree of self-sufficiency. We can divide challenges into two types. From the production side, there are solutions such as solar panels, storage, and microgrid technologies. From the consumption side, building renovation strategies, electric vehicles, and smart technologies. In the project “Flattening the curve” our aim is to analyze the energy consumption and energy production data to propose active and passive strategies that can bring a new and more sustainable energy model. By understanding how existing energy consumption and potential solar energy production time patterns, it is possible to redefine the way we see our buildings from static, emitting, and consuming infrastructure to performative, self-sufficient, and interconnected nodes in a new distributed network of communication for the exchange of data, energy, and resources, tackling pressing urban issues, such as energy prices and environmental emergencies. The final outcome of the research includes urban analytics, the design of a strategic plan, and the creation of an interactive urban simulator. in the case study of the Poblenou district in Barcelona city. However, the analysis and methodology applied could be implemented in new locations around the world as well.
